Early morning on October 17th, at Lincolns Inn Fields in London, the three core legal institutions of England and Wales - the Bar Council, Institute of Legal Executives and the Law Society came together through Advocates for International Development (A4ID) (http://www.a4id.org) to declare their support for the UN’s Stand Up Speak Out initiative.

In Portugal, 65.000 participants joined the 43.7 million who Stood Up against Poverty. Big events in the cities of Lisbon, Braga and Cascais were responsible for 13.000 participants.
In Lisbon, a youth organization set up a collective bed on the city’s major university campus, mobilizing 400 students under the motto “Come to Bed With Us”. It was history’s shortest nap, since after a few minutes they stood up against poverty and for the MDGs.

Mongolian scouts took part in the global call against poverty and inequality. By standing up on Student Square on October 17th, the Scout Association of Mongolia reminded their government to honor the commitments made in year 2000.
Mr. G.Ariunchuluun (the MDG Team Coordinator of the Mongolian Scouts Association) gave an opening speech, and talked about the Millennium Development Goals. Ms. S.Oyun (a Member of Parliament) followed, giving remarks on poverty issues. Ms. Delia Barcelona (UNRC a.i UNFPA Representative) delivered the United Nations General Secretary message on this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Ms. B.Dolgor, Counselor of the Prime Minister also spoke about poverty and the MDGs.

About 700,000 Kenyans participated in breaking the Guinness World record during the 24-hours of Stand Up. Among them were slum dwellers, prisoners and journalists, who raised their voice against poverty.

Kenya Prison Service

For the first time ever the Kenyan Prison’s Service participated in a global advocacy campaign by mobilising over 90,000 prisoners, prison warders and schools they run to Stand Up Against Poverty.

With the Tower Bridge as a backdrop, London’s City Hall was wrapped in a gigantic white band – the worldwide symbol of anti-poverty campaigning. On the south bank of the Thames people stood up for action against poverty and to meet the Millennium Development Goals, a symbolic action in support of the millions of people demanding a more urgent political response to the growing poverty crisis. People all over the world set the Guinness world record of 38.7 million of the largest mobilization against poverty ever.

Almost 1.4 million Egyptians stood up nationwide in a symbolic expression of their disagreement with conditions of poverty and inequality. The day’s events took place under the umbrella of the Egyptian campaign Sailing the Nile for the Millennium Development Goals, and stretched across eight Governorates.

Local committees mobilized hundreds of schools in various districts to Stand Up against poverty, organizing rallies and events including children, youths, teachers and Government representatives. In Cairo, the event took place with the backdrop of the Nile, opening with a ceremony and press conference that launched the second edition of Sailing the Nile, followed by youth workshops and a six hour concert where various Egyptian bands played modern Arabic music for the crowds. The launch highlighted the strong partnership upon which Sailing the Nile is based bringing together various UN Agencies, Egyptian Government, national and international NGO’s, the private sector and celebrities in a concerted effort to raise awareness and trigger local action around the Millennium Goals.

The sight of 700 kites flying over the hills of Kabul was one of the first in a series of images to arrive into the television newsrooms of broadcasters thanks to the coverage provided by Associated Press Television News around the world yesterday.

As Afghan civil society representatives, government officials and Afghan parliament members rallied in the city to mark anti-poverty day, Hayatullah Khan, sits with his children and talks of their family's struggle with poverty:

A group of students from the University of Leeds gathered at lunchtime on the 17th of October to make a giant mouth to symbolise how we must join together to make a big noise against poverty. The stunt was organized by the Leeds University 'People and Planet' society.